Fonon Corporation is developing a metal 3D printing technology that can be combined with AI to reduce the cost and time needed for process optimization.
The article below is an edited version of releases contributed by Fonon Corporation.
ORLANDO, Fla.— Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly referred to as 3D printing or digital fabrication, is rapidly expanding across numerous industries. The technology promises an array of significant advantages, from customizable production and optimal material usage to efficient inventory management, time savings, and the creation of lighter, yet stronger, components.
Also, unlike conventional subtractive manufacturing methods that produce excess material waste, additive manufacturing enables the creation of intricate designs with little material loss. These and other benefits have inspired decision-makers in private companies and government-affiliated entities to explore the benefits of a particular type of additive manufacturing—metal 3D printing—in various challenging environments.
At the same time, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an integral part of industrial workflows. According to laser equipment manufacturer Fonon Corporation, metal 3D printing is set to advance dramatically with AI assistance.
“Some industry specialists currently view AI as a ‘co-piloting’ tool that enhances processes, rather than as the sole driver of operations,” a release from Fonon Corporation stated.
According to Fonon, AI analysis will enable BTS system users to redesign or adjust processes before fabrication. This can help prevent potential defects and refine the final output, significantly reducing the cost and time needed for process optimization.
Fonon Corporation is an equipment designer and manufacturer of advanced laser material processing systems that are used in subtractive and additive manufacturing. In addition, Fonon is a multi-market holding company and R&D center.
The company is currently developing an additive manufacturing technology that can be combined with the power of AI to achieve benefits like faster process optimization, as well as preventive guidance for system operators. The metal 3D printing technology, known as Bulk-To-Shape (BTS) additive manufacturing, is not fully commercialized. But according to Fonon, AI analysis will enable BTS system users to redesign or adjust processes before fabrication. This can help prevent potential defects and refine the final output, significantly reducing the cost and time needed for process optimization, according to the release.
Another potential benefit of AI lies in its language processing capabilities. The integration of generative AI into system controllers can significantly reduce the dependency on specialized knowledge and training for operation. In addition, AI-powered support systems can provide real-time preventive guidance to operators, lowering the margin of error, the company said.
“When coupled with AI, additive manufacturing can accelerate productivity in new ways, ushering in the new automated production era,” the release stated.
Fonon said it is developing a system powered by BTS technology to offer various industries a new material management method: recycling either obsolete parts or raw materials into fully functional components.
Fonon Corporation describes itself as “a diversified industrial laser equipment company with a continuously growing umbrella of building-block technologies supported by patents, licenses, next-generation hardware, and proprietary metal processing IP.” The company is “dedicated to advancing industrial technology and designing specialized 3D metal printing systems for manufacturing purposes, representing the fastest path to Manufacturing Readiness Level 10,” according to the release.
Why BTS metal 3D printing technology is seen as a fit for defense industry needs
Although it’s still in development, Fonon’s Bulk-To-Shape technology appears to align with the U.S. Department of Defense’s strategy to adopt and integrate additive manufacturing while working to ramp up rapid prototyping and end-use parts production. Developed at the intersection of 3D metal printing and laser technology, the BTS technology involves reprocessing of raw or obsolete materials.
The U.S. DoD unveiled its strategy on additive manufacturing in early 2021, outlining five goals to broaden the adoption of 3D printing. Its stated goals are to develop guidance on integrating additive manufacturing into the defense industrial base (DIB); to align additive manufacturing activities with external partners; to advance agile use of additive manufacturing; to expand proficiency and knowledge; and to secure additive manufacturing workflows.
As it develops its BTS metal 3D printing technology, Fonon is aiming to capitalize on the integration of additive manufacturing within the DoD and the broader defense industrial supply chain. By reducing costs and lead times for hundreds of types of parts and components, Bulk-To-Shape systems can streamline metal 3D printing activities and minimize the funding required for multiple defense production programs across various service branches, the company said in a release.
Harnessing 3D printing for research and prototype production, along with the creation of complex geometries and easy customization, will significantly enhance the operational efficiency of defense systems, according to Fonon. The technology is expected to reduce costs that often hinder the planning and design of global-scale programs. It can also accelerate technological dominance, ensuring that warfighters’ needs are met swiftly and effectively, according to the release.
In multiple industries, including one or more early-adopting military branches, additive manufacturing has reportedly produced significant savings in labor while lowering the need for part procurement, transportation, storage, and assembly. It has also reduced downtime substantially when replacement parts are needed. Additive manufacturing enables new components to be produced on-demand and on-site, while also allowing physical inventories to be replaced by digital inventories, the release stated.
According to Fonon, continuous investments in technology like Bulk-To-Shape additive manufacturing provide military product manufacturers with the added benefit of more sustainable operations. Faster development, shorter lead times, less resource-intensive production, and high-reusability materials help to reduce waste and minimize carbon footprints. This approach is said to foster innovation in sustainable design, production, and distribution, helping manufacturers meet their sustainability goals.
Additive manufacturing, as a key enabler of a circular economy, also prioritizes the reuse of materials and products throughout the production line. This can significantly reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing, steering us toward a more sustainable future, the company said.
Fonon expects that when fully commercialized, its Bulk-To-Shape systems will empower defense manufacturing decision-makers to optimize existing part designs for enhanced performance and reliability. Bulk-To-Shape additive manufacturing is said to exemplify Fonon’s “continuously expanding portfolio of building-block technologies supported by patents, licenses, next-generation hardware, and proprietary metal processing intellectual property.”
“This product family of specialized 3D metal printing systems for industrial and manufacturing purposes represents the fastest path to production readiness,” Fonon said in the release.
Bringing high-tech to the rail transportation industry
Fonon also foresees its Bulk-To-Shape additive manufacturing technology as being capable of streamlining certain segments of an industry that often suffers from supply chain issues—rail transportation. By using BTS metal 3D printing technology, rail transportation manufacturers will be empowered to replace low-volume metal components with 3D printed parts that are made on-demand with high-performance materials, reducing costs and lead times significantly, a release from Fonon stated.
Fonon said in the release that some of the leading companies in the rail transportation industry are already leveraging 3D printing to produce spare parts and improve operational efficiency. In the same way that it has benefited the defense industry, additive manufacturing has led to substantial savings in labor while lowering the need for part procurement, transportation, storage, and assembly. It has significantly reduced downtime when replacement parts are required. And just as with other industries that have seen the benefits of metal 3D printing, physical inventories can be replaced by digital inventories, while new components and parts can be produced on-demand and on-site.
Similarly, investments in additive manufacturing technologies like metal 3D printing are said to offer rail transportation manufacturers, as well as defense manufacturers, a range of opportunities to operate more sustainably. As a process that consumes less resources and uses high-reusability materials, additive manufacturing can help reduce waste and minimize carbon footprints in the rail transportation and other industry segments. At the same time, it reduces costs for producing prototypes, complex geometries, and custom modifications, the company said.